Full Service Law Firm in Mt. Laurel Township, NJ | Capehart Scatchard

Scams

View OTHER BLOGS

Caller Unknown

Telephone scammers are getting better and better; using fear tactics to elicit irrational and immediate results.  This happened to someone close to me just a few months ago.

It was late night for this victim, after 9 p.m., which for the typical person in their 80s is like 2 a.m. for the rest of us!

The caller claimed they had the victim’s granddaughter and demanded money for her release.  The screams of a teenage girl, in hindsight no doubt a computer simulation, begged their grandparent for help.  The victim responded by leaving the safety of their home to purchase gift cards as had been directed by the caller. They then provided the redemption information for the gift cards to the caller via text.

This took place despite the victim’s calls to their family to confirm the safety of their granddaughter and receipt of reassurances from the family that all was well. The scammer was so convincing that the victim succumbed to the fear and pressure of the situation.

These events are called “spoofer calls” and are specifically targeted at the elderly/grandparent population.  How can this type of crime be avoided?  The simple answer is don’t answer calls from unknown numbers.  But for many reasons this often does not happen and is too simplistic of a solution. 

So, consider these additional tools to help protect your loved ones from falling victim to these sorts of scams:

  • Awareness.  Talking about this scam (and similar events such as people coming to the door regarding roof repairs, etc.) and educating family members will go a long way to calm the nerves of a potential victim.
  • Privacy Settings.  Facebook, Instagram and other social media platforms allow for the immediate sharing of photos and connection with loved ones.  But these sites also allow scammers to mine personal information.  Maximize account privacy settings to minimize the potential that a scammer will know who to impersonate.
  • Call Blocking.  By engaging tools to block unknown callers, you can force a scammer to voicemail.  A voicemail will allow the recipient the time to listen to the message and call another family member for help.  Check with your cell provider to identify the security and safety tools available.

Avoiding Scams When Donating After a Disaster

Hopefully, you were not impacted by the recent Hurricane Ian and are safe and sound.  But, there are thousands of individuals who may have lost their entire life’s accumulation.  And, being the kind-hearted person you are, you want to donate funds to help these unfortunate individuals. 

In the world we live in today, criminals take advantage of a disaster and solicit funds for fake charities.  Also, scammers sometimes pose as a federal agency to dupe disaster victims who are trying to get relief. 

If you want to help those less fortunate, don’t fall for solicitations received by phone, social media, email, or in person.  Make certain that your donation is going to a reputable organization – one that you initiated the donation.  And, when you do donate, remember to keep the receipt for the donation for income tax purposes. 

To check the status of a charity, use the IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search tool located here. If the charity isn’t listed in this database, it is not a qualified charity that you can claim a deduction on your income taxes for any donations made.

All donations should be made via check or credit card so that you have a record of the donation.  DO NOT make cash donations or donations via a service such as Western Union. 

You may think that a solicitation for a donation that is identified as a well-known charity, such as the American Red Cross, is legitimate.  But, just like an individual, organizational identities can also be stolen.  Rather than make a donation in response to a phone call, email or text, go directly to the charity to make your donation.  Look on the charity’s website for how to make a donation or initiate a phone call to make a donation; this ensures that your donation is going to the legitimate charity and not to some scam organization claiming to be that charity. 

If you are a disaster victim, beware as well.  Scammers can claim to be from a disaster relief program and obtain your personal information and then fraudulently use your information for their benefit.  The IRS provides disaster assistance by calling 866.562.5227.

Beware Of Texting Scams

We have all gotten those annoying emails that we know are scams and, hopefully, we have not taken the bait.  Also, many have received phone calls that are scams claiming to be the IRS, a law enforcement agency or even claiming they have a loved one captive and are holding them for ransom.  Recently, someone I know who is a grandfather received a call saying that his high school age granddaughter was being held ransom and he needed to send $500 immediately.  He called the granddaughter’s mother, who reassured him that the granddaughter was safe at home, but he couldn’t be convinced and felt it necessary to send the money.  So, yes, he was scammed out of concern for his granddaughter. 

But, now we are getting these nuisance messages via text and the IRS has warned that there has been a recent increase in IRS-themed texting scams which are aimed at stealing personal and financial information.  They look like they are coming from the IRS, but are not and if you receive one, you should report them to phishing@irs.gov.  The IRS has reported that hundreds of thousands of IRS-themed messages have been delivered in a matter of a few days.

Remember that the IRS will not contact you by email or text or phone, but by USPS.  They are working hard to stop these scams, but it is a difficult task and criminals are sly.  So, beware and don’t fall for scams received by text, email or phone.  Don’t give out your personal information unless you can validate who you are providing it to. 

Report any attempts to the IRS using the following process: 

  • Create a new email to phishing@irs.gov.
  • Copy the caller ID number (or email address).
  • Paste the number (or email address) into the email.
  • Press and hold the SMS/text message and select “copy”.
  • Paste the message into the email.
  • If possible, include the exact date, time, time zone and telephone number that received the message.
  • Send the email to phishing@irs.gov.

You can also report the message to the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration using the IRS Impersonation Scam Reporting form, which can be found on irs.gov.  Also, all incidents should be reported to the Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.ic3.gov. 

Think football – the best offense is a good defense!

Capehart Blogs

Litigation Blog
Equitable Tolling Does Not Apply to Claims Against Public Entities Under the Tort Claims Act’s Statute of Limitations
Firm News
Firm Launches 2026 Summer Law Clerk Program
Firm News
Capehart Scatchard Presents 27th Annual Blaine E. Capehart Writing Award to Rutgers Law Graduate

Equitable Tolling Does Not Apply to Claims Against Public Entities Under the Tort Claims Act’s Statute of Limitations

Snow Tubing is the Equivalent of Skiing Under the New Jersey Ski Act

Appellate Division Upholds Finding of HIB for Comments Made in Snapchat Group Chat

Subscribe to Blog Updates

Categories

Tags
Alternative Energy Alternative Energy - Solar Alternative Energy - Wind Appellate Division automobile accident automobile insurance Burlington County Bar Association Cannabis Law Charity constructive notice coverage data privacy dismissal Diversity & Inclusion Diversity & Inclusion Committee duty of care employees employers Employment Law evidence insurance Liability Litigation Litigation Quarterly Lorman Millennium Seminars NBI negligence New Jersey Workers' Compensation Act New York Law NJ Law notice Open Public Records Act Pennsylvania Law personal injury Public Entity Newsletter Real Estate and Land Use school law slip and fall statute of limitations summary judgment Tort Claims Act trip and fall Workers' Compensation Workers' Compensation Newsletter